77 results for tag: Change Behavior
Do We Have To Make Meditation Entertaining?
I have to admit that when I first saw the headline, David Romanelli set out to make meditation entertaining, and I cringed. I really did. The last few years have challenged me, observing many of our Sacred and Venerable rituals and practices become watered-down and made cute or sexy by Mother Culture. My immediate thought was simple, "Oh no, not meditation; please do not do this to meditation." This phenomenon has manifested in Reiki, Hatha Yoga, Qi Gong, Acupuncture, and many other traditional healing practices. Isn't it enough that almost every image of meditation has a very thin, white female with perfect hair and skin with no pores? Please, not meditation too!...
Should Spiritual Teachers Be Paid?
Whether Spiritual Teachers should accept payment is an issue that's been a point of inner conflict for me for many years. I have shifted from a firm "No"; I then adopted the principle that "I need to get paid, and my work is incredibly worthwhile". Most recently, I have shifted to somewhere in the middle, accepting that I am very valuable as a resource to the community at large and that work is important. With that said, there is some work for which I will not accept payment. Of course, anyone who has done any real spiritual work knows that there is always some form of payment that the student "pays". Payment may be in the form of servitude, Karma, or a sense of responsibility to others. The payment may not be directed to the Teacher, but a karmic exchange must take place....
Meditation Retreat at Portsmouth Abbey
Last week, I participated in a solo, two-day meditation retreat at Portsmouth Abbey in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, just north of Newport. I was grateful for the opportunity to pray, meditate, sit, and chant with the monks at Portsmouth Abbey.
Meditation Retreat at Portsmouth Abbey - The Chapel
Life Lessons Learned from Akeelah and The Bee
Waka Poetry Part II
More Waka Poetry. Each is its own poem, not necessarily related to the others.
"Waka translates simply to "Japanese poem," but for most of us with a passing acquaintance with Japanese poetry, we’re more likely to think of haiku as the true poetry of Japan. While it is true that haiku was the predominant form of Japanese culture and certainly most recognized by non-Japanese, waka inspired it. It was an art form, first begun in the 8th century CE, which continued in popularity through the modern era.
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Is Life A Series of Important Events or Processes?
I was reflecting the other morning on how we tend to think of life as a series of important events that mold and shape our world. As I sat with this thought for a while, it occurred to me that events are rarely events. They tend to be a process that has culminated with a defining experience; the “event” was just a larger experience in a longer, more defined process.
